Don’t mess with Sutton!

A new crackdown on littering, dog mess and flytipping to keep the borough’s town centres and high streets clean and tidy has been agreed by Sutton councillors last week.

In summer 2021 a borough-wide survey of Sutton residents gave strong support for a zero-tolerance approach to environmental crimes. In response, the Council launched a pilot programme of enforcement measures. 

This led to a fall in flytips and a reduction in littering in high street areas and residential streets across the borough. The joint approach of education and awareness together with enforcement activities has seen a significant reduction in both household and commercial fly-tips and littering. Long-term trends are now going down year-on-year in Sutton.

Given the success of the pilot project, councillors on Sutton’s Environment & Sustainable Transport Committee have now agreed to continue enforcement work to keep the borough’s streets and town centres clean. The new contract will start on 1 January 2025.

Councillor Christopher Woolmer, the new Chair of Sutton’s Environment & Sustainable Transport Committee, said:
“This new contract will improve the appearance of the borough, change behaviour and deter those who litter, flytip or don’t clean up after their dogs. 

“The pilot enforcement programme and education campaigns the Council has run have reduced littering in residential streets and in retail areas. There has also been a fall in the number of fly tips on public land. 

“This new contract shows the Council’s commitment to continuing this crucial work and allows the Council to consider tackling other environmental crimes, such as flytipping on private land, graffiti and fly posting so that our residents, businesses and visitors can continue enjoying Sutton’s town centres and streets.”